COMPONENTS OF THE IDEAL SELF THAT FEED YOUR PERSONAL VISION

Self-Efficacy and
Feasibility Optimism

Passion, Calling,
Purpose or legacy
Hope

Dreams and Image of Ideal Self and personal

Desired Future Vision
Life or Career
Stage, Cycle

Values an Core Identity

Philosophy

My Noble Purpose

Webster’s Dictionary defines noble as “possessing outstanding qualities, arising from superiority
in mind or character.” The Encarta Dictionary adds, “Relating to high moral principles based on
high ideals or revealing excellent moral character; magnificent. “ Add to that the notion of
purpose:”the reason for which something is done or made.”

What is your noble purpose? Reflect on these questions:

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 What impact or contribution have you made by being who you are?
 What impact or contribution are you currently making?
 What impact or contribution can you make?

The questions are daunting. But don’t get stuck. Open your mind.

Step 1: Generate possibilities

Write two or three statements about what your noble purpose could be.

1. My noble purpose could be to make a significant difference in the life of at least one person,
and change the world one person at a time.

2. My noble purpose could be…

To voice and stand up against injustice of any kind, and particularly for those who can’t
voice their opinions, animals and minorities for instance.

3. My noble purpose could be…

To care about issues and individuals beyond my own, and leave the world a better place
than I found it.

My Noble Purpose

Step 2: If I Could, I would…

If I could accomplish one thing in my life, it would be…

To make my family and close friends proud of the person that I eventually become. I want to
take pride in my work, my relationships, as well as the impact I have in society at large and want
my loved ones to feel the same about me.

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If I could make an important contribution to my work, it would be…

To go beyond what’s expected of me, and add value to the work I’m doing by drawing on my
own experiences and practical and theoretical knowledge.

Something I wish I could change in my work is…

I would like to do my prior research well before taking up a new project or task. I believe that it
is essential to do your homework, and stay well informed in order to contribute more insights to
the work. Hence, I would like to be more proactive regarding the same.

If I had the power to make any change at all in the world, it would be…

To tackle climate change and make the world more sustainable, and to raise a voice against
human rights violations, and women safety.

My Noble Purpose

Step 3: My Noble Purpose

Review what you have written about what is most important to you. Do you. Do you notice a
pattern, or, one idea that comes up over and over, in different ways? Summarize this pattern or
idea in a sentence or two.

My noble purpose is..

I believe that true to my noble purpose, I have shown a strong desire to change the world in any
possible way that I can. For instance, be it through my desire to stand up against injustices, tackle
human rights violations, or even impact the life of one individual which can subsequently change
the life of others, the desire to leave the world a better place remains constant in me.

Why is having a noble purpose compelling? Quite simply, we want our lives to have meaning-
we want it to have mattered that we were alive. In the next few pages, you will take this
exploration further, focusing on several aspects of your Ideal self and personal vision. There are
four sections, each of which includes a series of exercises:

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 1. My Dreams and Images of a Desired Future
2. My passion, Calling, Purpose, and Legacy
3. My values and Philosophy
4. My Personal vision

Each of the exercise takes time and reflection. Do not try to rush them. They should provoke
somewhat different thoughts and feelings. If you are involved in a loving and caring
relationship, you may consider asking your spouse or partner to complete these exercise and
questionnaires as both of you explore your personal visions individually and then as a couple or
family. You may even want to explore this with your work team or a group of friends.

One note on how to work through the exercises in these sections: the exercises are arranged in an
order that helps most people think ever more deeply about what matters most to them. And, each
exercise services a slightly different purpose, even though a few of them look similar. You will
find that if you do all of them, you will craft a rich and varied view of your ideal life and future.

My Dreams and Images of a Desired Future

The first step in developing a clear view of your Ideal self and personal vision is to think big and
wide by engaging your dreams and fantasies. Your dreams and fantasies are unique to you and
come from a magical combination of your personality, life experiences, and feelings. Five
special exercises will add different perspectives to your vision of an ideal future for yourself.
The themes or patterns you see will help you construct your personal vision.

27 Things I Want to Do Before I Die

List 27 things you would like to do or experience before you die.

1. Travel the world 15. Work towards wildlife conservation

2. Deep sea diving 16. Get a tattoo
3. Fall in love 17. Get married
4. Have a near death experience 18. Become a bartender in a foreign country
5. Solo travelling 19. Paragliding
6. Attend a Tame Impala concert 20. Teach underprivileged children
7. Become a social entrepreneur 21. Adopt a village

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 8. Work with UNHRC 22. Go on a music tour
9. Write a book 23. Cover all the hard rock cafes in the world
10. Settle down in Mumbai 24. Collect coins/stamps
11. Ensure that my parents settle down 25. Meet Shahrukh Khan
12. Fly a plane 26. Study at MICA
13. Join the Army 27. Own and ride a Harley Davidson
14. Give a TedTalk

What themes appear in your list?

My list has recurring themes of travelling the world and experiencing new and adventurous
things. For Instance. Solo travelling, collecting coins/stamps, paragliding, joining the Army
indicate my eagerness to travel the world and discover new things. I also signal a keen desire to
make the world a better place by becoming a social entrepreneur, joining the Army, teaching
underprivileged children, and adopting a village.

The Lottery: If I Could, I would …

You just won the super lottery and received 50 million dollars or the equivalent in your currency
after tax. How would your life and work change?
If I would win lottery, after paying my loans, I would want to book a world tour for my parents.
I would like to repay them in some way for what they have done for me. And not just my
parents, I would like to travel all the 7 continents and hence would like to save some money for
that. Apart from that, I would like to invest money is social entrepreneurship and help in
uplifting people and helping the environment to make the world a better place to live in. I would
want to invest in helping poor people and elderly to make their lives easier. Moreover, sparing
money for giving it to shelter homes and NGOs which can help the people in need would be my
other motive. I would like to fulfill my dream of educating 1 million children by this money. 

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My Ideal Life

It is fifteen years from today. You are living your ideal life. You live in a location that you have
always dreamed about. You live with the people with whom you most want to be living. If
work is part of your ideal life, you are doing the type of work you love, and just enough-not too
much not too little.

Someone videotapes you all day long. What would we see in that videotapes you all day long.
What would we see in what video? Where would you be? What are you doing? Who else is
there?

I would be living in an apartment of my own in the city of Mumbai. I’d wake up next to my
husband, and the child that we have adopted. I’d start my day by doing my daily exercise,
finishing my household chores, and head to work. My work would be that of a social
entrepreneur which would involve me going to field locations, interacting with various
stakeholders, and travelling the country. My office would be brimming with the energy of
employees who share a common vision of revolutionizing the education sector in the country. I
would have an open door policy in my office where employees are free to share their thoughts
and opinions, and feel valued.

The videos would also capture me discussing about human rights, feminism, animal welfare, and
mental health- the things that I care about the most. I’d also be in touch with my close friends
from college and school, with whom I meet and interact with frequently.

Each day on my way back from work, I would call up my parents and siblings, who’d be happy
to hear from me. Once I reach home, I would leave my work outside the door, and interact with
my husband and children. I would make it a point to sit together at the dining table and share
each and every detail of our day with each other.

Finally, I would either watch the news, movies, paint, listen to music or any other task that I
consider a hobby before going to bed.

My Life in the Year 2030…

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Project yourself into the future. It is ten years from today. Picture what you most hope your life
and work will be on that day.

In 2030, I am 33 years old.

If I am working, my work is best described as a social entrepreneur preferably working in the

development sector.

My major work responsibilities are leading and managing the organization as the CEO, drafting
strategies and implementing them, and interacting with various stakeholders to achieve the
organisation’s objectives.

The people I will see or talk to today include my college friends, namely Bhuvi, Tanya and
Samidha. I would also meet my parents and my siblings.

The people with whom I live and socialize are my future husband with whom I’ll be living. I
would socialize with my work colleagues, college friends, and close relatives.

My most important possessions are my house, the sentimental letters and gifts that I’ve received
from my loved ones, and my collection of stamps and coins from around the world.

If someone were describing me to a friend today, they would say that I am someone who cares
immensely for people and animals alike, is well informed, and strongly adheres to her principles.

When I have some free time, I spend it watching movies or tv series, listening to classic rock
music, catching up with my friends and family, and travelling.

My leisure or fun activities in a typical week include catching up with friends, travelling, and
watching movies.

At least once a year, I try to take a vacation and travel to new places. I also make it a point to
contribute to society by volunteering with NGOs or being part of a social cause.

My Fantasy Job

This is an opportunity to imagine yourself doing the kind of work that you sometimes wonder
about: “what would it be like if I were doing x?”

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Make believe that:

1. You enter a new machine called a NeurophysiologicRemarket. Using genetic reengineering

and noninvasive neural implants, a few minutes inside the machine gives you the body,
knowledge, and capability to do any job-and do it well.
2. You have been given the financial resources to do any job you want, and you are free of all
personal, social, and financial responsibilities.

List several jobs that you would love to do or try. Consider a wide variety of jobs like those in
other countries and jobs in sports, music, medicine, politics, agriculture, and religion, Consider
jobs you have heard about or seen in the movies or on television.

Become a bartender in a foreign country.

Become a chef in a café that I own.

Become a travel blogger.

Work with National Geographic or Discovery Channel.

Work as an undercover agent.

Work as a social entrepreneur in the development sector.

Become a musician and go on world tours

Choose the three jobs in your lest that most interest you or seem the most exciting or rewarding.
Describe each of them below, including what you would enjoy or look forward to the most about
each job.

1. Working as a Social Entrepreneur in the development sector seems exciting to me as I’ll be

able to improve the lives of people in society at large, and leave the world a better place than
I found it.
2. Working with National Geographic or Discovery Channel is exciting for me as I love to
undertake new adventures and would also like to do my bit to conserve and protect wildlife
and the ecosystem at large.

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3. Becoming a musician and going on world tours is something I look forward to it combines
my love for music as well as adventure. Moreover, the idea of leaving behind a part of me in
the music I compose for the world is something I find to be deeply profound.

My Fantasy Job

Sometimes, a person describes a fantasy job as one he or she really wants to do. Other times, the
job represents some interesting or exciting activities or conditions. On other words, sometimes it
is not the job that is the fantasy, but some aspect of it or conditions under which the job is done.

As you read your descriptions of the jobs you would most like to do or try, do you notice themes
or patterns? How are these different jobs similar? Are there activities (such as being outdoors)
that are part of each? Are there conditions of the work (such as working with a team) that are
part of each? Are there outcomes (such as being famous) that are part of each? List those
themes or patterns below.

The themes that I’ve observed in my fantasy jobs are that they are not stable 9 to 5 jobs. In fact,
they are as risky and adventurous as they can get.

They involve going beyond one’s comfort zone and involve being on the field more often.

Additionally, I feel that these jobs have an impact in society at large, and my reason for choosing
them stems from my eager desire to leave the world a better place than I found it.

I also noticed that these jobs involve travelling to multiple places and meeting new people and
discovery new things. This is in sync with my desire to embark upon new adventures and grow
as a person each day.

Creating Your Dream

The Reverend martin Luther King Jr. inspired people across the United States and the rest of the
world with his “I have a Dream” speech, which he delivered on august 18.1963, on the steps of
the Lincoln Memorial. His optimistic words resonated in the hearts and minds of millions.
Optimism is the mental state in which one’s world-view and expectations are generally more

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positive than negative. Personal optimism correlates strongly with self-esteem. Psychological
well-being, and personal health. One way to invoke optimism is to imagine what you could be
end do. What are your dreams?

My Dreams

I have a dream for myself that…

I find the purpose of my life and that I leave a mark on the world by the work that I do and the
relationships that I maintain. Before I leave the world, I want to leave my legacy behind by
positively impacting the lives of the people that I know and society at large

I have a dream that my work will be…

That of a social entrepreneur. One that challenges me to go beyond my comfort zone, and
enables me to learn new things every day. I also want my work to add value to society and
impact their lives on a daily basis.

I have a dream that family and children will….

Make the best of all that the world has to offer, be it in terms of new experiences, impactful
work, and fulfilling relationships. I also want them to find the purpose of their existence,
understand their privileges and be honest in whatever they do. At the end of the day, I want them
to be happy with their lives and take pride in themselves.

I have a dream that community will…

Give up on war, violence, and human rights violations. I also wish that each person in society is
a little more kind and sensitive to each other.

I have a dream that my country will…

Be free from war, hunger and poverty. I also want my country to respect each individual
irrespective of caste, creed, race or gender. I want my country to be free from communalism and
human rights violations.

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I have a dream that the world will…

Be free from hunger, war, violence and poverty. I want the world to be border- free in the truest
sense of the word. Moreover, I also want the world to be a safer for all its inhabitants- humans
and animals alike.

Major Themes in My Dreams

Read your statements in the last six exercise. Do you see any themes or patterns? What are
they? What is missing?

The themes that I’ve observed in my dreams are that I want the make the world the better place
than I found it. I want to work towards the better of all the people in society, especially those
who can’t stand up for themselves. I have also dreamed of an utopian world free from hunger,
poverty, and war. This has been consistent theme across my dreams, and I have even shown an
interest in tackling these issues by the little difference I can make through my own social
entrepreneurship venture. I believe that I want more things for society at large than I do for
myself.

However, the difference that I found is that while I expect to do my bit to make the world a
better place, and even want society at large to contribute to the same purpose, I don’t expect my
family and children to contribute to the same cause. Instead, I expect them to find their own
purpose and meaning.

My passion, Calling, purpose, and legacy

This section invites exploration of the impact we want to have in life. Articulation the things we
are passionate about taps into a deep reservoir or positive emotions, energy, and drive. The
exercises “My legacy.” “My passion,” “My Calling,” and “What will People Say About Me?”

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will help you clarify your dreams and begin to develop a picture of what is most important to
you, what you want to do in life, and how you want people to see you.

My Legacy

What do you want your legacy in life to be? In other words, what will remain or continue as a
result of your having lived and worked all these years?

My legacy in life is to leave the world a better place than I found it through my actions and
relationships. I think that legacy is not something that is 100% in our control. I believe that our
legacy is defined as how others perceive us and the impact that we have on the lives of others. I
want to inspire actions in others through the way that I live my life.

I am someone who has strong principles that have defined the way that I live my life. For
instance, I am honest in the work that I do, I care about the underprivileged, and fight for
feminism and human rights. I want to spread the same to the people around me, by letting my
legacy reflect in the way I live my life. I want my legacy to be the way I impact the people
around me. Even if I bring about the slightest change in the lives of those I know, I’d consider
myself to have had a meaningful life.

At the end of the day, I believe our legacy is carried on through the memories of others. Hence, I
want people to remember me as someone who cared immensely for the world around her , was
honest in whatever she did, and made the world a better place to live in through her actions and
presence.

My Passion

What am I most committed to in life? What are the things that excite me and make me feel alive,
useful, and engaged in meaningful activity and relationships? What issue or cause is an enduring
theme in my life?

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You may want to write your thoughts here. Or, if you prefer, you can gather pictures from
magazines and newspapers and pasts them here to form a collage. Or, gather electronic pictures,
images, words, and music, and create a personal movie or slide show.

Contrary to popular opinion which states that if you’re passionate about something, your work
becomes effortless, I feel that true passion is what puts you to work. What I’m most passionate
about in life is to have a social entrepreneurship venture of mine in the development sector. This
is in pursuit of my long term purpose of making the world a better place. I want to positively
impact the lives of the people that I come across in even the slightest way possible, and that is
the legacy that I want to leave behind. I’ve been passionate about having a social
entrepreneurship venture as far back as I can remember. In fact, I’ve driven my life in the same
direction by working with NGOs, heading the social entrepreneurship cell in my college, and
pursuing an MBA. Additionally, I am passionate about feminism, human rights, mental health
awareness, and wildlife conservation. I feel that I spread my passion for the same through
discussions and healthy debates with people that I know about the same.

My Calling

If you feel drawn to a particular purpose in life, what is it? If you feel called to fulfill a purpose
in life, live a certain way, or make certain contributions, what are they?

I believe that my true purpose lies in the betterment of others in society. I want to make a
positive difference in the lives of others, so that I stay alive in their memories even after I’m
gone. I intend on doing that through maintaining healthy relationships with the people I care
about, and motivate them to be better versions of themselves.

I intend on leaving a positive impact on the world through the little difference I can make
through having a social entrepreneurship venture of my own. I want the venture to focus on the
development sector preferably the education sector. I’ve been drawn to the same cause since I
was in school, and taught underprivileged children in a public school. I have taken up this cause
in the later years of my life by interning with various NGOs, heading a social entrepreneurship
cell, engaging my peers in healthy discussions and debates about the same cause, and eventually,
pursuing an MBA.

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What will People Say about Me?

At your funeral, someone gets up and gives a moving speech that would make you feel warm and
proud (if you were there, which of course you are not). What would he or she say about you and
your contributions? What feelings does he or she describe in the stories about you? What would
you most like the people listening to remember about you?

I’d like to think that when my loved ones give a speech about me they’d narrate a hilarious
incident about me which made them smile. I feel that they would remember as someone whose
mere presence could lit up a room and who spreads happiness wherever she goes. Moreover,
they’d say that I cared fiercely for my loved ones and would go out of my way for them.

They’d describe me as someone who stood by her principles and followed them in whatever task
that she took. Additionally, they’d say that I was true to my passion in life, and ended up being
the person I aspired to be. I feel that the people who know me well would say that I am someone
who wouldn’t give up even in the toughest of situations, and would motivate others in the face of
challenges. Finally, they’d say that I was fun-loving, and used humour to get out of the most
awkward of situations.

My Values and Philosophy

The objectives of the “My Values” and Philosophical Orientation Questionnaire” exercises are to
help you clarify your values and beliefs and to give you insight about how these affect your
behavior. Our values are based on beliefs. These beliefs have real impact they determine our
attitudes and affect what choices we make in life and how we behave. A value typically includes
an evaluation, and sets of values form proscriptions and prescriptions-rules about what not to do
and what to do- that guide our daily life. Values also affect how we interpret and perceive
people and events around us and the emotional charge we ascribe to what we see and experience.

Values are influenced by the unique combination of life experiences significant relationships,
social context, and personality that comprises our unique self. Since our values and beliefs
change from time to time, after reflection or certain events. It is useful to review and consider
our values and beliefs regularly. By taking the time to review and reflect on our values, we can
make better, more conscious choices about life, work, and our behavior. As you reflect on the

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values, beliefs, and personal characteristics that guide you, consider the extent to which you
would like these ideals to be part of your daily life.

My Values

Beliefs, Principles, and personal Characteristic

That Guide My Life

Below is a list of values, beliefs, or personal characteristics for your consideration. Each of the
steps in this process will help you identify which are most important to you and which are
guiding principles in your life. It is difficult to choose of course, because many of these values
and characteristics will be at least somewhat important to you. It is also hard to choose because
you might find yourself thinking. “I should value x and put it first on my list.” Even though it
really isn’t so, force yourself to choose, and choose based on your true feelings, not the
“students” in life.

You might find it useful to determine degree of importance by imagining how you would feel if
you were forced to give up believing in or acting on a particular value, belief, or personal
characteristic. Or, think about how you would feel if your life really revolved around certain
values, beliefs or characteristics. How would this make you feel? Sometimes, you might find it
helpful to consider two value at a time, asking yourself about the relative importance of one over
the other.

1. Start by circling the fifteen or so values that are most important to you.
2. Then, from this list, identify the ten that are the most important to you and write them in a
list.
3. From this list of ten, circle the five that are the most important to you.

“My Values” is not an easy exercise. Most people find the first step easy, but the last step
difficult, even uncomfortable. That is because the reflection forces us to reconcile a number of
potentially divergent aspects of our current lives. When you develop the final list of five values
and rank-order them, you inevitably keep asking yourself “Does this placement of the value
reflect how I act or how I would like to act?” In order words, does the ranking of the value
represent the person you are today in your actions and decisions? If it does not, then does it

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represent the person you would like to become? You might also wonder,” Does the placement of
the value in the ranking reflect my current preferences, attitudes, actions, and decisions? Or does
it better reflect the way I was a few years ago-a past, earlier me?”

Our Personal Philosophy

Understanding our values becomes a moral rudder, helping us steer through confusing and
sometimes conflicting moments and decisions. But our specific values do not always explain all
our actions. For example, two managers attending an executive education class both listed
“family” as their number one value. One executive chose to be a vice president of a large
international company and flew to another city every Sunday night or Monday morning. He
returned to his home each Friday night or Saturday morning. The other executive, a plant
manager of chemical company, had turned down two promotions in the last year-one position
because it would involve a lot of travel and the other because it would have required his family
to move. When asked how each of them could place “family” in the same position of importance
and yet have such different lifestyles and choices, the men gave very different answers about
how they enacted their value for family.

The VP said that he valued his family and that it showed in how he provided for them. His wife
had the home she always wanted ad the freedom to pursue a job that did not pay much but was
one that

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

How I enact My Values

This instrument includes twenty sets of choices.. For each of the twenty items, consider the
choices given and indicate your current preference within each item by giving each a score of
1,2,or 3.

The option ranked “1” should; and the option ranked “3” should be your last choice. Some of
the choices have multiple parts, separated by “0r”. for these, select the part of the choice you
most like, underline it and assign the rank for that item while disregarding other parts of the item.

1. I think of my value, or worth , in terms of

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 a…… My relationships (e.g. family, friends)
b…… My ideas or ability to invent new concepts or ability to analyze things
c…… My financial net worth or income.

2. I feel most proud of organizations to which I belong when they

a……Have created new products/services.

b……Create financial worth for individuals (regardless of whether the people are
employees, investors, or partners) or create jobs.
c……Have helped people live easier and healthier lives

3. When someone asks me to commit to spending time on a project, I ask myself

a……what can I learn from doing it?

b……will it help someone. Or is someone counting on me to do it?
c……Is it worth it to me?

4. Sometimes I will do something for no other reason than because

a……I want to figure out why something works the way it does.
b……It was to be done in order to do something else or get something I want.
c……It will allow me to be with a person I care about or it would please someone I care
about.

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

5. The way I can best contribute to others’ lives is to

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 a……Help them find jobs or develop financial security and independence
b……Help them develop principles with which to guide their lives.
c……help them build relationships with others or me or help feel better about
themselves.

6. I get the most done when I am with someone I would describe as

a……Pragmatic
b……Caring
c……Analytic

7. I consider my contribution to society in terms of

a……ideas , concepts, or products

b……Money
c……People and relationship

8. I define myself in terms of

a……what I accomplish or what I do(i.e. my activity/behavior)

b…...My thoughts, values, and ideas
c……the people with whom I have relationships

9. I would describe myself as

a……Analytic
b……Caring
c……Analytic

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 10. I consider the most important stakeholders of the organization for whom I work to
be
a……the field or industry of which we are a part
b……The employees
c……The shareholders/investors or the customers/clients

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

11. When I read or listen to the news, I often think about

a……whether it gives me an idea as to how to make money or seize an opportunity

b……The statement/s it makes about the nature of our society
c……the people in the stories (i.e. those affected by the events)

12. I believe many of society’s problems could be resolved if more people were

a……Pragmatic
b……Analytic
c……Caring

13. When I have free time, I prefer to

a……So things that need to be done (e.g. shores, duties)
b……figure out things or think about what, why, and how things work and are the way
they are
c……Spend time talking and doing things with specific other people

14. The following are good principles to live by

a…..Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today
b……do unto others as you would have others do unto you
c……to contemplate the meaning of life and events is an important activity

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 15. I have the most fun, stimulation, or excitement when I am with someone whom I
describe as

a……Pragmatic
b……Caring
c……analytic

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

16. I feel that an organization should contribute to society by

a……Providing a place for people to realize their dreams, develop, and contribute
b……Creating ideas, products, or services
c……Creating increased net worth (i.e. helping individuals build their net worth) or
creating jobs

17. People have spent a full life if they have

a……cared for others and built relationships
b……made a lot of money or achieved financial security or created jobs
c……Developed ideas, products, or methods

18. Individuals should

a……Identify their goals and then work toward them, making sacrifices when necessary
for their long term goals.
b……Seek fulfillment through their relationships
c……Understand themselves and why they do things

19. I will feel successful if, in ten years ,I have

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 a……written articles/books or taught people ideas, concepts or invented ne concepts,
ideas, products or have figured a number of things out
b……Known many people well or a number or meaningful relationships
c……A greater net worth than I do now or financial security and freedom

20. My time is well spent in an activity if

a……I make friends or meet interesting people

b……I get interesting ideas or observations from it
c……I can make money from the activity

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

Scoring the Questionnaire

To calculate your scores on the philosophical Orientation Questionnaire:

1. Copy the number you placed next to each item in the questionnaire to the right of that
item on the chart the next page.
2. Add all the items in each column for a column subtotal.
3. Subtract the subtotal of each column from 60 to obtain a score for Pragmatic Value,
Intellectual Value, and Human Value. Because you ranked the most important item from
each question with a “1,” your scores have to be reversed and subtracted from a
maximum score of 60 to generate a number for which a high score means a stronger
operating philosophy.

Your highest score, after you subtract it from 60, is the operating philosophy you use most
frequently in making decisions, determining the value and worth of things and activities.

Philosophical Orientation questionnaire

Pragmatic Value Intellectual Value Human Value

Item Numbers 1c ______3_____ 1b ___2________ 1a ______1_____

From 2b ______2_____ 2a ___3________ 2c ______1_____

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Questionnaire 3c ______3_____ 3a ___2________ 3b ______1_____

4b _____ 3______ 4a ___2________ 4c ______1_____

5a _____ 3______ 5b __ 1_________ 5c ______2_____

6a _____2______ 6c __ 3________ 6b ______1_____

7b _____3______ 7a ___2________ 7c ______1_____

8a _____3______ 8b ___2________ 8c ______1_____

9c _____3______ 9a ___2________ 9b ______1_____

10c ___2_______ 10a __3_________ 10b _____1______

11a ___3________ 11b __1_________ 11c _____2______

12a ____2_______ 12b __3_________ 12c _____1______

13a ___2________ 13b ___1________ 13c _____3______

14a ____3_______ 14c ____1_______ 14b ____2_______

15a _____2______ 15c ____3_______ 15b ____1_______

16c ____2_______ 16b ____3_______ 16a ____1______

17b ____2_______ 17c ____3_______ 17a ____1_______

18a ___ 3________ 18c ____2_______ 18b ____1_______

19c ___3________ 19a ____2_______ 19b ____1_______

20c ___3________ 20b ____2_______ 20a ____1_______

Add the scores 52 43 25
Subtract from 60 8 17 35

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 for your total
Interpretation of the Philosophical Orientation Questionnaire

This questionnaire is designed to assist you in exploring your preferences regarding three basic
operating philosophies: Pragmatic, Intellectual, and Human. Through a mixture ofthere
philosophies, you manifest your values. People see the worth, benefit, or goodness in ourselves,
others and organizations through the lens of our dominant operating philosophy.

Pragmatic Operating Philosophy

A Pragmatic Operating Philosophy appears to be based in philosophies of utilitarianism,

pragmatism, or consequentialism. When the Pragmatic Operating Philosophy dominates, a
person will tend to determine the worthiness of an activity in terms of its utility in helping
achieve desired ends. When the ends or objectives are not clear, or if it is difficult to measure
outcomes, the activity will be less valued by those with a high score. A note of caution: although
money provides a convenient measure for many work-related outcomes, a strong Pragmatic
Operating Philosophy does not imply that a person is preoccupied with financial gain. Money
may merely be one measure he or she uses to value an activity. Other measured of cost versus
benefit also common but may be more subtle.

Intellectual Operating Philosophy

An Intellectual Operating Philosophy appears to be based in a philosophy of rationalism and

possibly in the abstractions of mysticism. A person whose dominant operating philosophy is
Intellectual will tend to determine the worthiness of an activity in terms of its conceptual
contribution to understanding something. Creating a cognitive map, or a framework describing
what we know about something, is at the heart of what is important to people whose dominant
operating philosophy is Intellectual. There is a tendency to value and use abstract and symbolic
variables to understand, describe, or explore life, relationships, and activities.

Human Operating Philosophy

A Human Operating Philosophy appears to be based in philosophies of humanism and

communitarianism. With a dominant Human Operating Philosophy, a person will tend to
determine the worthiness of an activity in terms of its affect on specific other people and its

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impact on the quality of the relationship he or she with specific others , intimacy and friendship-
at home and at work-may be of primary importance to someone whose dominant operating
philosophy is Human.

What So My Scores Mean?

Everyone tends to have a dominant operating philosophy, although of course each of us believes
in all three philosophies to some degree. Many people will believe one of these philosophies is
more important that the others at certain points in their lives, and the relative importance of the
three operating philosophies may change over time.

Begin your interpretation of your responses to this questionnaire by asking yourself if the total
scored reflect your personal beliefs about the relating importance or ranking of these three
operating philosophies.

The gap between the various scored may reflect the strength of your preference for the operating
philosophies. If any of your scores are close together, say, within three points, it could mean that
you feel conflicted when making certain types of decisions. You may even feel indecisive.

This isn’t necessarily the case, however, as you can see by looking at your scores anther way.
This time, you will plot your scores on a percentile chart. On the chart, find the point on each of
the three percentile graphs to place your total score. Connect the three dots to form a line.

The raw scores and the percentile distribution are both helpful, but in different ways. The raw
scores reflect how you answered each question. The percentile distribution compares your
scores with those or other people who completed the questionnaire. The percentile chart is said
to adjust for the distortion resulting from the social desirability or political correctness of certain
answers. Since both the raw scores and the percentile graph provide slightly different
information, you should analyze both for insights into your operating philosophy.

For example. Suppose that after subtracting from 60 your Pragmatic Operating Philosophy score
was 12, your Intellectual Operating Philosophy score was 24, and your human operating
philosophy score was 24. Because the raw scores of the Intellectual and Human operating
Philosophies are close, it suggests that you may feel internal conflict at times when a situation
encloses people you care about and issues of justice, fairness, or adherence to procedures. But

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when placed on the percentile chart, your percentile scores become 34 for Pragmatic, 82 for
Intellectual, and 43 for Human. This means that when others see how you act in many situations
or over time, they would see that you would more frequently try to understand situations, create
models orframeworks that explain what is going on rather than thinking about other people’s
feelings (the Human Operating Philosophy) or calculation the costs and benefits of one versus
another option (the Pragmatic Operating Philosophy). It does not mean that you do not care
about people, nor does it mean that you are not pragmatic. It is a relative weight

Percentile Pragmatic Intellectual Human

30+ 32+ 38+
100% _________ _________
98 29 31 37
96 28 30 35
94 26 28 34
92 24 27 33

90% 23 26 32
22 25
21
20 24 31

80% _________ _________ 30

19 23
_________
18 22
29
70%

17 21 28

27
60% 16 20

26

15
50% 19 25
14

25
 18 24
13
40%
23
12 17
22

16
30%
15 21

11 20
14

20% 10 19
18
9
13 17
8 16
12
10% 7 11 15
10 14
6 9
5 8 12

Living Values

Now let’s look at how we enact our values in relation to other people and in different spheres of
our life. The “Circles of Life” exercise will help you take stock of the relative value you place
on important areas of your life.

Circles of life

In the circle of Life below are words that represent areas of life that are typically important to
you?

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Draw a set of circles for yourself, and write words to describe your valued Circles of Life. You
might choose to use circle size and proximity to indicate how important they are and how they
for together.

Social Work
Friends

Travel Family & Love

Work

Hobbies

My personal Vision

It is now time to pull together all these reflections into a coherent statement of your desired
future in an essay, “My Personal Vision.” This vision for your desired life will serve as your
starting point for a learning plan. As you write your Personal Vision, you will probably find
inspiration, energy, optimism, and a compelling path to your future.

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Although the essaycan take many forms, we recommend that you begin with a brief statement
and overview of what you want in your future. This might be one or two paragraphs, and it
should incorporate enough specificity for a reader to know what you hope for and what your
dreams are. Then, expend your thoughts. Write fully about what you desire, considering all
aspects of life that are important to you. To be most useful to you, the complete essay should be
at least two or three pages in length.

Extend the vision for as long as you wish. It could be five to seven years, ten to fifteen years, or
twenty-five years from now. Using your reflections in the previous exercises, explain the
elements of this dream of the future, making sure to cover topics such as these: what would my
ideal life and work be in the period I’m thinking about? What will I be being then? Where will I
be? Who will be with me? What will my work and life belike? What or who will I be? Make
sure you cover your physical health; your family, friends, the rest of your community, and
society (including your contributions to all these groups); and your spiritual life

My Personal Vision

It is has been famously said “Just sheer life cannot be said to have a purpose because look at all
the different purposes it has all over the place. But each incarnation, you might say, has a
potentiality, and the mission of life is to live that potentiality.”

Succinctly put, my personal vision is to make the world a better place. I intend on achieving this
vision by maintaining healthy relationships, staying true to my principles, having a social
entrepreneurship venture of my own, and standing up against injustices. While I know that these
goals are far-fetched, and I might not be able to change the world on my own, I believe that it is
the potentiality and intention that counts. Even if I positively impact the life of one individual,
I’m certain that that one person might positively impact another, and so on. Therefore, I intend
on making the world a better place by changing it one person at a time.

My Personal Vision

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In the short term, I believe that it is essential for me to complete my MBA and take as many
learnings as I can from the course. I believe that these learnings would enable me to work
towards my vision of making the world a better place by enabling me to build my own social
entrepreneurship venture. I intend on focusing on the education sector in particular, as I believe
that if you teach an individual you change their lives in more ways than one.

Additionally, I would like to establish my social entrepreneurship venture in the next 10 years,
and would like to spend the next decade expanding it and making it sustainable. The main
objective of my entrepreneurship venture would be to educate atleast 1 Million children in India
and bring about a change in how education is perceived in the rural areas of the country.

I also feel that while it is important for me to work towards this dream of mine, there are other
ways that I want to impact the people around me as well. I want to positively impact the people I
care about by motivating them to be the best versions of themselves. I want to be a source of
inspiration for them through my actions and the principles that I follow. For instance, I intensely
care about human rights, feminism, wildlife conservation, social issues, among others. I would
like to change the outlook of my close ones on such matters for the better by having healthy
discussions with them about the same.

While I’m out there achieving my goals and dreams, I would want certain people around me,
people who’ve impacted me in ways more ways than one and have been with me through my
toughest of times. I would want my college and school friends to be in my life. I would also like
to maintain close relationships with my parents and siblings, even when I’m much older, as
they’ve inspired me to be the best version of myself. I would also like to expand my social circle
by meeting new people beyond my immediate circle, and making new friends at work. I also
intend on getting married and adopting children, and would like to spend the later years of my
life focusing on them.

I visualize my life to be full of adventure, one which would enable me to go out of my comfort
zone more often. I intend on travelling to all the continents in the world by the age of 40, and
make every new experience in my life count. I would give 100% to the work that I do by taking
every new challenge in my stride, go beyond what is expected of me, and apply learnings from
my personal experiences in my work.

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However, I would want to have a holistic life, both personally and professionally. Hence, I
would also prioritize my passion of travelling, my personal hobbies and my family and friends.
At the end of the day, I want to live a life that I take pride in, and I also want the people who
matter to me to be proud of me.

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